


All’s Fair in Love and Arm Wrestling

by SierraNovembr



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Arm Wrestling, Banter, F/F, M/M, Silly, mentioned Pepper/Nat, mentioned Steve Rogers/Tony Stark - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-19
Updated: 2021-03-19
Packaged: 2021-03-28 12:27:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 711
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30139536
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SierraNovembr/pseuds/SierraNovembr
Summary: Natasha grits her teeth and stares down her opponent. He shifts, obviously uncomfortable being on the other end of her glare, but he holds his ground. Her arm aches, muscle straining. This is taking too long - even she can’t hold on forever.But he’s weakening, too. She sees the sweat beading on his forehead and the grimace he doesn’t manage to keep off of his face.  She smiles, adjusts her grip.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Clint Barton, Natasha Romanov & Tony Stark, Pepper Potts/Natasha Romanov, Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Comments: 10
Kudos: 56
Collections: Tony Stark Bingo Mark IV





	All’s Fair in Love and Arm Wrestling

**Author's Note:**

  * For [maiNuoire](https://archiveofourown.org/users/maiNuoire/gifts).



> This was written as a little bit of stress relief during a hard week and is dedicated to the delightful maiNuoire, who sent me such wonderful comments. You really made my shitty week better. I hope you like this little thing.
> 
> Bingo details:  
> Title: All’s Fair in Love and Arm Wrestling  
> Creator: SierraNovembr  
> Card Number: 4033  
> Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30139536  
> Square: T2- A battle/fight/confrontation  
> Pairing: Tony&Nat brotp, Bucky/Clint, mentioned Steve/Tony, mentioned Nat/Pepper  
> Rating: T  
> Major Tags: arm wrestling, silly  
> Words: 711

Natasha grits her teeth and stares down her opponent. He shifts, obviously uncomfortable being on the other end of her glare, but he holds his ground. Her arm aches, muscle straining. This is taking too long - even she can’t hold on forever.

But he’s weakening, too. She sees the sweat beading on his forehead and the grimace he doesn’t manage to keep off of his face. She smiles, adjusts her grip.

“I don’t think so, Itsy bitsy.”

“You’re getting tired, old man.”

Tony’s eyes narrow at her, looking over their clasped hands. “I can do this all day.”

“Isn’t that copyrighted?” She risks a surge, pushing against Tony’s hand, trying to force it to the table. He wobbles slightly, but quickly pushes her back to their stalemated, neutral position.

“Yeah, by Stark Productions.”

“You really ought to give in, Shellhead,” she smirks. “Isn’t Steve getting back in a few hours?”

“Oh, is that how you want to play it, Rushman?” His brown eyes light up. He leans forward slightly, dropping his voice to something conspiratory. Nat quirks her eyebrow. Who does he think he’s trying to play with, here?

“Pepper’s on her way home too, you know.”

Nat sucks in a breath.

“She’s gonna let her hair down. Put on those yoga pants.” Tony tips his head closer, “Take off her shoes.”

Damn him. The image is impossible to resist. Her mind shows her Pepper’s dainty toes, her strong ankles disappearing under those sinfully soft pants. Pepper curled up on the couch, just comfortable and waiting…

“Hah!” Tony barks out a laugh and Nat comes back to herself just in time. She pushes, tastes blood when she bites her cheek, and manages to keep her hand from hitting the table.

There’s no time for finesse. “Steve’s tiny running shorts!”

Tony’s hand spasms and Natasha gains another inch. She’s sweating now, too.

“Are you still at this?” Clint calls out as he and Bucky wander over. Hope swoops in her chest. This might be exactly what she needs. Bucky’s got his hand in Clint’s back pocket, and she silently wills him to stop gazing at his boyfriend and look at _her_.

Her hand twinges.

Clint laughs, partially collapsing against Bucky with his mirth, and Bucky cracks a smile.

“Yasha!” she growls.

His eyes snap to her and his eyebrows climb his forehead. “Really? For this?”

She nods. Tony’s still got her arm bent back. She’s not getting out of this without a little subterfuge.

“Hey!” Tony glances between the two of them, playful outrage on his face. “No. No, no, no. Foul!”

Bucky calmly nudges Clint back to standing and leans over to whisper something in Tony’s ear. Natasha can’t make it out, but Tony’s eyes blow wide and his jaw drops. Nat pushes, and Tony can’t even blink before she slams his hand down and crows her victory.

“You’re drooling there, Stark,” she comments idly.

His eyes focus back on her for a moment before he shakes out his hand and uses it to wipe at his lips. “Uh huh,” he croaks out. He looks up at Bucky. “Really? Steve?”

Bucky nods. “Really.”

“I have to - there’s a thing - “ Tony stumbles up from the table and practically sprints to the door. 

Nat slouches back in her chair and laughs. “Those two are so hopeless.”

“Well, not everyone can be as lucky as we are,” Clint muses. Nat rolls her eyes as the two men share a kiss. She’s trying to decide if it’s worth doing a few sets with her other arm, or if she’ll allow herself to bask in her victory just this once when her phone pings an alert from JARVIS.

 _Miss Potts inbound. ETA 15 min._

Shit! She still has to shower.

* * *

Bucky watches Nat run out of the gym, gone with a flash of red hair. He smiles. Now she’s the one who’ll owe _him_.

And, assuming Tony has an ounce of sense left to act on after Bucky melted his brain, Stevie will too. How about that?

“No one ever seems to believe that _we’re_ the ones with our shit together,” Clint sighs. “Have you noticed that?”

Bucky hums an agreement and slides his hand back into Clint’s pocket where it belongs. “Disasters, all of them.”


End file.
